From Parking Pain to Public Safety Gain: How Seal Beach PD Reimagined Parking with LPR Technology

When you ask Captain Nick Nicholas of the Seal Beach Police Department about parking, his response is refreshingly honest:

“I’ll tell you, I’m not passionate about parking.”

As a veteran cop, parking enforcement wasn’t exactly what he envisioned when entering law enforcement. But over the years, his perspective has evolved. Because in a city like Seal Beach, managing parking well isn’t just about curbing infractions. It’s about enhancing public safety, community access, and operational efficiency.

A Shift in Strategy: Parking Under Police Oversight

Seal Beach, a charming coastal city of just over 24,000 residents, once managed its parking through the Public Works Department. That changed when the city council made the strategic decision to place all parking responsibilities—enforcement, permitting, and citation processing—under the police department’s control.

“There was understandable skepticism at first,” Captain Nicholas recalls. But consolidation made sense. By integrating functions under a single roof, the city aimed to make parking more efficient and responsive to community needs.

The Pain and Complexity of Parking

Captain Nicholas is quick to acknowledge that “parking is a pain.” It’s one of those municipal functions that touches nearly every facet of community life, from beach access and local businesses to emergency services and neighborhood satisfaction. And yet, most agencies find that making parking simple is anything but easy.

“I used to walk a beat with a paper ticket book and chalk tires by hand,” Captain Nicholas reflects. “Now I help departments across the country modernize their parking operations.”

Partnering with Flock Safety: A Smarter Way Forward

The turning point for Seal Beach came with a partnership with Flock Safety. The company enabled the city to pilot a license plate reader (LPR) system to capture real-time occupancy data in the city’s beach parking lots; something the city had struggled to do reliably in the past.

“This data will help us make smarter, more informed decisions that benefit both residents and visitors,” Captain Nicholas explains.

With Flock’s LPR technology, the department can now:

• Scan up to 6,000 plates per shift
• Flag expired registrations automatically
• Instantly cross-check for valid residential permits

Doing More With Less

The benefits of this automation are tangible. According to Captain Nicholas, “We can meet the same service level with half the labor hours.” That’s a major gain for a department always balancing limited personnel against growing community needs.

But it’s not just about efficiency; it’s about safety. LPR enables the city to detect stolen vehicles, flag felony-related plates, and monitor who’s entering town, all while simultaneously easing the parking experience for locals and tourists.

Parking as Public Safety

Captain Nicholas is clear: “Parking isn’t a separate issue from public safety. It’s a core part of it.” Traffic flow, emergency vehicle access, neighborhood quality of life, and even business vitality are all impacted by how well a city manages its curb space.

And LPR gives the department tools to do just that: “It allows agencies to manage curb space smarter and more efficiently, freeing up personnel for other priorities and creating a more organized, accessible city.”

The Future Is Frictionless

Looking ahead, Captain Nicholas envisions a fully seamless system.

“Our ultimate goal is for parking to be completely frictionless and touchless. People shouldn’t have to download an app or find a pay station. Everything should just work.”

With Flock Safety’s help, Seal Beach is well on its way to realizing that vision—proving that with the right technology, even something as seemingly mundane as parking can become a linchpin of smarter, safer cities.

Want to Learn More?

Seal Beach’s story is just one example of how modern technology is transforming the way communities think about curb space, safety, and quality of life. For a deeper dive into how cities across the country are reimagining traffic and parking infrastructure—from reducing congestion to building stronger community connections—check out our full feature:

 From Congestion to Connection: Rethinking Traffic and Parking to Improve Daily Life